X-Women skate to 3-1 win over Tigers

Antigonish, N.S. - The StFX X-Women (8-8-2) skated to a 3-1 win over the visiting Dalhousie Tigers (7-10-1) in AUS hockey action Sunday afternoon at the Keating Centre.

With a dominant first period, the X-Women jumped to a 2-0 advantage at the intermission.

At 1:10, Taylor Dale (Oromocto, NB) put StFX on the board with an unassisted marker. Her shot bounced off a leg before finding the back of the net behind Dalhousie goaltender Mati Barrett (Stittsville, ON).

The Tigers did not record their first shot until more than eight minutes into the match-up, when they were on the power play.

The X-Women doubled their edge at 16:58, on a stellar individual effort from Schyler Campbell (Galloway, NB). The fourth-year senior gathered the puck in the corner before skating in front of the net and depositing a low wrist shot behind Barrett. Sarah Bujold (Riverview, NB) collected the lone assist.

StFX out-shot Dalhousie 20-1 in the first period.

In the second period, the Tigers sliced the lead in half on a shorthanded goal from Sarah Robichaud (Weymouth, NS). After Corinne Desjardins (Ottawa, ON) tested X-Women goaltender Sojung Shin (Seoul, Korea) with a high backhander on a partial breakaway, Robichaud gobbled up the rebound and was able to score on her second attempt. Desjardins notched the lone helper on the marker.

The Tigers had a golden opportunity to deadlock the game, but they came up empty on a 46-second 5-on-3 power play.

Late in the period, the X-Women regained their two-goal edge. After a smart pinch by defender Nicole Halladay (Smiths Falls, ON), she put the puck down low to Dale, who rang a shot off the goal post. Daley Oddy (Cranbrook, BC) gathered the rebound at the top of the slot and roofed a shot over the shoulder of Barrett. Dale and Halladay collected helpers on the goal at 18:37.

Off the ensuing face-off, Campbell garnered a couple opportunities; Barrett made the initial save and then the X-Women forward hit the goal post with her rebound chance.

In a scoreless third period, the X-Women continued their stellar penalty killing and defensive play as they cruised to the two-goal victory.

Shin made 10 saves in the win, while Barrett turned aside 37 shots in the loss.

The Subway player of the game and first star was Oddy, while StFX defense Jenna Pitts (Antigonish, NS) and Robichaud collected second and third star selections, respectively.

The X-Women will return to action Wednesday, Jan. 27, when they host the rival Saint Mary's Huskies in a 7 p.m. puck drop at the Keating Centre.

The Tigers will be back on the ice Saturday, Jan. 30, when the Mount Allison Mounties visit Halifax for a 6:30 p.m. start.